chAPTer 4: sTYling & ProPs 89
Food Styling Basics
There is no single right way (or wrong way) to style food, but there are some things
that many food stylists and photographers do to make the food look its best. Before
I get into the how, I’ll start with the what—in other words, some of the gadgets and
tools you can use to make it all happen (Figure 4.4).
gAdgeTs And Tools
I use a lot of little gadgets and tools when
styling food, and many of them are just
everyday kitchen utensils. Here is a list of
some of the basic tools I use often and
wouldn’t want to be without:
• Tweezers: I use tweezers to place
small items (such as mint leaves or
sesame seeds) or to reposition things
on the plate.• Prep bowls or ramekins: These are
really useful for holding garnishes and
sauces near your dish or workspace.
You can also place them upside-down
in bowls to add bulk to foods.• Plastic spoons: These are useful for
mixing and stirring, and also for apply-
ing things like sauces, sour cream, or
any kind of liquid. Because they are
extremely light and thin, I find that
they give me more control than using
metal spoons.• Paper towels: I always have a full
roll of paper towels sitting near my
workspace when styling food. They’re
handy for cleaning drips on plates, and
if you’re styling food in the spot where
it will be photographed, you can place
them under the plate to catch acciden-
tal spills.FIgure 4.4
These are a few of the tools I use regularly when styling food.